Proposal for Amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws and Rules of the International Society of Nephrology

Proposal for Amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws and Rules of the International Society of Nephrology

Kidney International, Vol. 55 (1999), pp. 1172–1185 International Society of Nephrology PROPOSAL FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS AND RULE...

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Kidney International, Vol. 55 (1999), pp. 1172–1185

International Society of Nephrology PROPOSAL FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS AND RULES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY Since the International Society of Nephrology was founded in 1960, its Constitution, Rules and By-Laws have been subject to a number of amendments; however, its basic principles remain intact. The Executive Committee felt that—with the increasing complexity and responsibilities of our Society—a number of additional amendments needed to be made, which are outlined below. These amendments were approved unanimously by the Council during its meeting in Philadelphia on October 28, 1998. In accordance with ARTICLE XI of the present Constitution, the Council’s action must be ratified by the General Assembly, which will be held during the XVth International Congress in Buenos Aires, May 1999. For your convenience, the proposals for amendments are listed point-by-point below, and can be compared to the text of the present Constitution, Rules and By-laws as ratified in 1993 and published in Kidney International in April 1993. The present Constitution is also on the ISN Homepage at www. med.ualberta.c./isn (North American Server) and www.his. path.cam.ac.uk/mirrors/isn/000i0000.htm (UK Server). Jan J. Weening ISN Secretary General

(a) Article 1, Section 2: Deletion of requirement for a new member to be proposed by two fellows of the ISN. This amendment was approved by the General Assembly in Sydney, May 1995 and therefore concerns only a textual addition. (b) Article I, Section 3 and Article II, Section 2, item 3: Proposal for deletion since this rule is never practiced. Affiliated societies may order any number of journals at a reduced rate. (c) Article I, Section 5. Proposal: Individuals shall be nominated for Honorary Membership by the Executive Committee and are subject to approval by the Council and the General Assembly. (d) Article 1, Section 7. Include description of Joint Membership. This amendment was approved by the General Assembly in Sydney, May 1995 and therefore concerns only a textual addition. (e) Article II, Section 3. Proposal for deletion of “affil-

 1999 by the International Society of Nephrology

iated societies pay annual dues,” since this is not current practice. (f) Article III, Section 2. Proposal to increase the number of Councillors from 21 to 25. (g) Article III, Section 6. Proposal that in case of a vacancy at the Council that occurs during the election, the runner-up of that specific region occupies the seat, as was done the last time this occured. (h) Article IV, Section 2, item 1. Proposal that the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee, selects one nominee for Secretary General and one nominee for Treasurer. This proposal is based on the increasing professionalization of our Society, with its financial responsibilities and its involvement in complex worldwide programs. (i) Article IV, Section 2, item 5. Proposal to change “meeting” to “meetings.” (j) Article V, Section 2, item 4. Proposal that the Nominating Committee selects three (instead of two) nominees for each unoccupied seat on the Executive Committee. The sentence “For the benefit of continuity, the Vice President, generally, ascends to the position of President-Elect after ratification by the Executive Committee and the Council” has been added, as well as “The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall submit the list of proposed candidates for the Council and the Executive Committee together with a brief resume to the President at the time of the last Council meeting before the International Congress,* i.e., usually at the ASN annual meeting preceding the ICN.” *Note: These lines were approved by the General Assembly in Sydney, May 1995. (k) Article V, Section 2, item 5. As future Council ballots will be held by mail, this item has been adjusted accordingly. (l) Article V, Section 3. Proposal to include Past President and Vice President in the Management Committee. (m) Article V, Section 4. Proposal to update the text in view of congresses that are jointly organized by a national and regional society. (n) Article VI. Duration of chairmanship: One four-year term with option for renewal of one two-year term. (o) Article VII, item 1. The General Assembly will ratify election of Officers and Councillors, but will not

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elect Councillors from the list, as the ballot will be distributed by mail as of 1999. (p) Article VII, item 4. Proposal to delete need of General Assembly to hear invitations from delegations seeking to host the Congress. AMENDED CONSTITUTION Article I. Name The name of this organization is “THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY” Article II. Purpose The purpose of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) shall be: (1) to promote and foster the exchange and diffusion of concepts and information relating to nephrology throughout the world; (2) to advance knowledge in the scientific disciplines relating to nephrology; (3) to hold international congresses of nephrology under its auspices; (4) to provide a suitable forum for the discussion of nephrological problems on an international scale; and (5) to promote, sponsor, and financially support a journal, proceedings of meetings, or other appropriate publications. ISN has been organized and shall be operated exclusively for the purpose described above and/or other charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. No part of the net earnings of the ISN shall inure to the benefit, or be distributable to its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the ISN shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II. No substantial part of the activities of the ISN shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation; and the ISN shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the ISN shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purpose of the Society. RULES AND BY-LAWS Article I. Membership Section 1. The ISN shall consist of five classes of members: (1) Fellows (2) Affiliated Societies (3) Emeritus members (4) Corporate members (5) Honorary members Section 2. An individual member shall be designated

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“Fellow of the International Society of Nephrology.” Eligible for fellowship shall be any physician or scientist who has manifested a scientific interest in nephrology. He or she shall pay annual dues fixed by the Council, which includes a subscription to the Society’s official Journal. Fellows shall be members of the General Assembly and are eligible to vote and hold office. The Council may revoke fellowship by a two-third’s majority decision. Applications for fellowship in the ISN shall be submitted on a form approved by the Executive Committee. Section 3. An Affiliated Society shall be designated “Affiliated Society of the International Society of Nephrology.” Affiliated Societies are national or regional societies that adequately represent those concerned with scientific studies in the realm of nephrology. Affiliated Societies may be other scientific societies or represent a country, a grouping of countries by common consent, a region, a continent, or other geographic entities. There shall be one Affiliated Society per country or region, but exceptions may be granted by the Council. A responsible officer of each Affiliated Society will send annually a list of individual members to the Secretary General of the ISN. To retain their affiliated status and to vote at the General Assembly, the list must be submitted at least six months before each Congress of ISN; in addition, the activities of the Affiliated Society should conform to the general purposes of the ISN. Affiliated Societies will each have two votes in the General Assembly. Section 4. An Emeritus Member shall be designated “Emeritus Member of the International Society of Nephrology” and shall constitute those who have been Fellows for a minimum of 10 years and who have made an appropriate request to the Secretary General of the ISN for cause, such as disability, retirement, hardship, etc. Emeritus Members do not pay dues. Section 5. An Honorary Member shall be designated “Honorary Member of the International Society of Nephrology.” Honorary membership may be conferred upon any individual who has made a contribution of exceptional merit. Honorary members shall be nominated by the Executive Committee and ratified by the Council and are subject to approval by the General Assembly. They shall pay no dues but shall receive the Journal. Section 6. A Corporate Member shall be designated “Corporate Member of the International Society of Nephrology.” Corporate membership may be extended to any corporation, partnership, foundation, society, or other organization that has contributed to the ISN annually a sum fixed by the Executive Committee. Corporate membership includes one subscription to the official Journal. Corporate membership is authorized by the Council and shall be recognized annually in at least one publication of the ISN.

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Section 7. A joint member shall be designated “Joint member of the International Society of Nephrology.” Entitled to joint membership at a reduced collective fee shall be any group of up to 10 physicians or scientists in countries that are judged financially disadvantaged by World Bank figures. The group is entitled to all the privileges of full membership in the ISN and to one copy of Kidney International, which must circulate among the group. Prospective participants in this program should contact the ISN Treasurer for application forms and determination of eligibility. Except for the reduced membership fee, joint members shall be considered as regular fellows (class 1). Section 8. Membership of classes 1 and 4 terminates when dues have not been paid for two consecutive years. A list of the Fellows of the International Society of Nephrology (Class 1) will be available at the Congress. Article II: Finances, Journal Subscriptions and Terms Section 1. The financial year of the ISN extends from January 1st to December 31st. All memberships shall be renewed annually or biennially. Dues are payable in advance and will be considered to be in arrears as of January 1st. All new members shall be liable for the full annual dues for the year in which their application is accepted. Section 2. The official Journal of the ISN shall be available as follows: 1 Non-membership subscription at full rate. 2 Fellows and Emeritus members’ subscription at reduced rate. 3 Library and other institutional subscriptions. Section 3. The subscription rates shall be determined by the Management Committee. Section 4. “Term” as used in the rules and by-laws is defined as the period between two International Congresses of Nephrology. Article III: Council Section 1. The Council of the ISN shall be the governing body and the legal trustee of all property of the ISN. Its composition shall reflect the various disciplines and geographic diversities of the Society. The duty of the Council is to set the policy and to supervise the affairs of the ISN, to formulate by-laws, rules, and regulations. The Council shall have all judicial and executive functions. Among its specific duties shall be: 1 Election of the first four classes of members. 2 Election of officers to be ratified by the General Assembly. 3 To select two candidates for each unoccupied seat on the Council from the list of three submitted by the Nominating Committee.

4 Formulation of the general policies of the official Journal as well as other publications. 5 Decision on the frequency of International Congresses of Nephrology. 6 Selection of the place where the International Congress will be held, as a rule, at least six years in advance. 7 Establishment of guidelines for activities and functions sponsored by the ISN. 8 Any other functions not otherwise designated by the by-laws. Section 2. The Council of the ISN shall be composed of all the officers designated in Article IV, the 25 Councillors, all of whom shall be Fellows of the ISN. Section 3. Term of Office Councillors may be elected for up to three terms if the interval between Congresses is two years, and up to two terms if the interval is three years. Councillors take office immediately after the meeting at which they were elected. Section 4. Council Meetings 1 There shall be two regular meetings of the Council at the time of the Congress, one at the beginning of the Congress and the other, of the newly elected Council, at the end of the Congress. 2 Additional meetings, called Special Meetings, may be held on the recommendation of the majority of the Executive Committee. 3 An official mail ballot shall be circulated only upon approval by the majority of the Executive Committee and shall be binding only if two-thirds of the Council members respond and two-thirds of the respondents register approval of the ballot in question. Section 5. Quorum and Voting Quorum for the conduct of the Council business shall consist of not less than 40% of the total Council members entitled to vote. There shall be no proxy voting. All decisions of the Council shall be made by simple majority vote of those present unless otherwise specified in the by-laws. The Chairman of the meeting shall have a vote and a casting vote in case of a tie. Section 6. Filling of Vacancies Any vacancy that may occur on the Council during a regular term by virtue of death, resignation, disqualification, or elevation to office may be filled by majority vote of the Executive Committee. Such an individual will serve the remainder of the unexpired term or until such time as a regular ballot is held by the Council. If it concerns a vacancy that occurs at the time of the regular election, then the candidate from the same region who finishes as runner-up during the election will occupy the seat. Article IV. Officers and Executive Committee Section 1. Officers of the ISN shall be the immediate Past-President, President, President-Elect, Vice President,

International Society of Nephrology

Secretary General, Treasurer, and the Editor of the official Journal. Section 2. Duties of Officers The Officers shall exercise those duties and rights normally pertaining to the offices they hold and in addition, any other duties which may be assigned by the Council. Specific Officers shall have the following duties: 1 The President shall have the final responsibility for the administration of the Society. The President shall be Chairman of the Council, the Executive Committee, the Management Committee, and the General Assembly. Except for the Nominating Committee, the President shall appoint the members of standing and ad hoc committees on the advice of the Executive Committee unless otherwise stated in the rules and by-laws. These shall be named at the regular meetings of the Council. The President shall appoint members of the temporary or ad hoc committees including the Congress Program Committee. The President may under special circumstances call for a mail vote of the Executive Committee, but the result is binding only if the vote is unanimous. The President shall be responsible for the appointment or reappointment of the Editor with the advice and consent of the Management Committee. The President, in consultation with the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee, will select one nominee for Secretary General and one nominee for Treasurer, all to be ratified by the Council. 2 The President-Elect shall assist the President in any duties which the President may delegate or designate and shall nominate members of the Nominating Committee. The President-Elect shall take office as President at the end of the Congress and preside as Chairman over the second regular meeting of the Council. 3 The Vice President shall preside at any official meeting which the President is unable to attend and shall fulfill the duties of the President should he or she be unable to discharge them. If both are unable to function, the line of succession shall be President-Elect, Secretary General, and Treasurer, respectively. The Vice President shall perform such duties as may be designated by the President and the Council. 4 The Treasurer shall receive all dues and other funds, pay all obligations and debts and render a complete financial account to the Council and to the General Assembly. The Treasurer shall submit a proposed budget to the Council. Any deviation from this budget of an amount to be determined by the Council shall receive the approval of the Executive Committee before the expenditure is made. The account of the Treasurer shall be audited annually by a legally authorized auditor from the country in which the Treasurer resides. The auditor will sign the cash books and the annual balance together with the Treasurer. The approval of

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the financial accounts by the Council will relieve the President, Treasurer, and Auditor from all subsequent financial responsibilities. 5 The Secretary General shall keep a record of all classes of membership of the ISN and keep a minute book of the transactions of the ISN and its committees. The Secretary General shall keep the records of all meetings of the Council, the Standing Committees, and the General Assembly and prepare a Secretary’s Report dealing with the activities of the ISN and submit it to the President before the Congress. The Secretary General shall be responsible for coordinating the secretariat of the Society and the time and location of its committee meetings during the Congress. 6 The Editor of the official Journal shall determine and be responsible for the editorial and advertising policy of the official Journal with the advice of the Management Committee and the Council. Subject to the approval of the Management Committee, the Editor shall appoint the Editorial Board and its officers, taking account of the international character of the Society. The Editor shall convene a meeting with the editorial group at each Congress. Section 3. Executive Committee 1 The Executive Committee shall consist of the following seven Fellows: immediate Past-President, President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary General, Treasurer, and Editor of the official Journal. Five members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Executive Committee shall make decisions by majority vote, unless otherwise specified. The Chairman has the casting vote. The Executive Committee may act on behalf of the Council in intervals between the regular Council meetings. All actions of the Executive Committee must be ratified at the next official meeting of the Council. 2 The Executive Committee advises the Organizing Committee of the forthcoming Congress according to the guidelines established by the ISN for the operation of International Congresses. A member of the Organizing Committee of the previous Congress shall be co-opted to assist in this task of the Executive Committee. 3 In case of war or other emergency preventing action by the Council and the General Assembly, the Executive Committee may take over the functions of the Council and the General Assembly and shall continue in office until the emergency is over and until a meeting of the General Assembly and the Council can be held. Section 4. Term of Office Officers are elected for one term. No Officer may be re-elected to the same office except the Secretary General and the Treasurer, who may be elected as a rule for no more than two additional terms. The Editor shall be appointed for one term with option for renewal. No one

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may be elected President-Elect or Vice-President who has not previously served as Officer or Councillor. Aggregated service as a Councillor and Officer shall not, as a rule, exceed a total of six terms or 15 years, with the exception of the Editor. Article V: Standing Committees Section 1. Standing Committees shall be: (1) Nominating Committee (2) Management Committee (3) Congress Program Committee and (4) such other Standing Committees as may be designated by the Council. Section 2. Nominating Committees 1 The Nominating Committee shall consist of one Fellow from each of the following regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, North America, and South America. No more than two of these fellows shall be former Councillors or members of the previous Executive Committee. Members and the Chairman of the Nominating Committee are proposed by the President-Elect immediately following the Congress at which the election took place. The list of candidates is to be ratified by the Council (mail ballot). The Council, by majority of respondents, may reject the list, but only once. A second list supplied by the PresidentElect, which must contain at least three new candidates, constitutes the official Nominating Committee without further ratification by the Council. In case of a subsequent vacancy or the inability of a member to serve, the President-Elect shall make a replacement appointment. The Nominating Committee through its Chairman shall confer frequently with the PresidentElect in the intervals between Congresses. 2 The Nominating Committee decides by mail ballot at an early stage on the distribution of the unoccupied seats on Council among the five regions as defined under Article V, Section 2 (1). 3 Members of the Nominating Committee are expected to hold appropriate consultations with the nephrological community within their region to generate names to be considered as candidates for the Council and Executive Committee. Candidates shall be selected as individuals on the basis of their contributions to the progress of nephrology. As the Council is the source of incoming Officers, candidates for Council shall be selected with this aspect in mind. The names and curricula vitae of candidates shall be submitted by the members of the Nominating Committee to its Chairman who shall distribute the complete material to all Committee members. 4 At a meeting of the Nominating Committee the number of candidates shall be reduced to three for each unoccupied seat on Council and to three for each unoccupied seat on the Executive Committee. For the ben-

efit of continuity, the Vice President generally ascends to the position of President-Elect after ratification by the Executive Committee and the Council. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall submit the list of proposed candidates for the Council and the Executive Committee together with a brief resume to the President at the time of the last Council meeting before the International Congress, i.e., usually at the ASN annual meeting preceding the ICN 5 At the above Council meeting, the Council produces from the names submitted by the Nominating Committee a list of candidates containing two names for each unoccupied seat on the Council, attempting to establish equity in scientific discipline and in geography. The list of two candidates for each unoccupied seat on Council will be distributed to the fellows of the Society by mail ballot, as coordinated by the SecretaryGeneral. The result of the ballot will be made public at the Congress. From the candidates for the vacancies on the Executive Committee, the Council will elect at its first meeting during the International Congress a single candidate. The Council shall present the list of candidates for the Executive Committee to the General Assembly for ratification. 6 Interim vacancies in any position may be filled by the Executive Committee, and such individuals shall serve until the next official meeting of the Council. Section 3. Management Committee The Management Committee shall assist the Editor and the Treasurer in the business affairs of the official Journal and the Society. The Committee shall be composed of the Executive Committee and two members of the Council. The Council members are especially assigned for this task by the President. The meetings of the Management Committee shall be called by its Chairman after consultation with the Editor and the Treasurer. Minutes shall be kept and filed with the Secretary General. Section 4. ISN Congress Program Committee The ISN Congress Program Committee is the official liaisonbetween ISN and the local Organizing Committee of the forthcoming Congress for the preparation of the scientific program. The number of Committee members depends on the total composition of the Program Committee and may vary from congress to congress. With the selection of committee members the ISN will pay attention to the field of expertise and the regional distribution. 1 The ISN Congress Program Committee shall generally be comprised of six Fellows, at least two of whom, as a rule, shall be Councillors, Past-Councillors or previous Program Committee members. Its composition shall reflect forefront science in nephrology in the broadest sense and the internationality of ISN. 2 Members of the ISN Congress Program Committee are appointed for two terms. To assure continuity from

International Society of Nephrology

Congress to Congress three members shall be appointed immediately following each Congress by the President in consultation with the Council. The Chairman of the ISN Congress Program Committee is appointed by the President and must be a Councillor or Past-Councillor or a member of a previous Congress Program Committee, and shall serve for one term only. 3 The ISN Congress Program Committee shall seek input from the Scientific Commissions and shall encourage suggestions from Fellows and Affiliated Societies concerning format and content of the scientific program of the Congress. The ISN Congress Program Committee meets at the expense of ISN with the local Organizing and Program Committees, as needed, in particular during the initial planning phase of a Congress. 4 The final scientific program of the forthcoming Congress, which shall also reflect the input of the local Organizing and Program Committees, shall be approved by the ISN Congress Program Committee and must conform to the principles established by ISN. Section 5. Filling of vacancies Any vacancy that may occur on the Standing Committees may be filled by the President, subject to the approval by the Executive Committee at its next meeting. Article VI. Scientific Commissions Scientific Commissions dealing with specific aspects of nephrology can be established by the Executive Committee subject to the approval of the Council. The Chairman of each Commission shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a four-year term with option for renewal of one two-year term. The Chairman shall recommend members of this Commission for approval by the Executive Committee according to the rules established by ISN. Normally the number of members of a Commission shall not exceed eight. The Commissions shall assist the ISN Congress Program Committee in the generation of the scientific program and shall fulfilll the aims and objectives of Scientific Commissions as defined by ISN. The Executive Committee shall decide about the termination of a Scientific Commission. Article VII. General Assembly The General Assembly shall be composed of all Fellows attending the Congress and two delegates from each Affiliated Society. No other classes of membership shall vote. The meeting of the General Assembly will be held during the Congress after the first regular meeting of the Council. The functions of the General Assembly shall be: 1 To ratify the election of Officers and the results of the mail ballot. 2 To ratify the actions of the Council on the membership of Affiliated Societies and of other classes. 3 To ratify changes in by-laws, rules and regulations as

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recommended by the Council. Any proposed change must be submitted in writing to the President and signed by five Fellows, read before, and voted upon by the General Assembly regarding submission to the Council. The proposed change will then be submitted to the Council for debate and action. 4 To ratify decisions concerning the location of future Congresses. 5 To vote upon any item of business which the Council brings before the General Assembly. All decisions will be made by simple majority vote of those members present at the General Assembly, unless otherwise stated in the by-laws and regulations. The Chairman has the casting vote. Article VIII. Scientific Meetings The ISN will hold International Congresses at regular intervals as determined by the Council. The ISN may sponsor other international or regional meetings, workshops and symposia as the Executive Committee sees fit, but shall not obligate the ISN financially in excess of the budget approved by the Council. Article IX. Free Circulation of Scientists Organizers of a Congress of the ISN and of meetings sponsored by the ISN must, at the time of the invitation, agree in writing to the resolution of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) regarding the free circulation of scientists. Article X. Agendas and Minutes of Meetings Section 1. Agendas 1 The agendas for the meetings of the Council and Executive Committee to be held at the time of the Congress should be distributed at least one month prior to the meeting. New points can be added to the agendas and acted upon at the time of the meeting. The agendas for Special Meetings of the Council and the Executive Committee should be distributed at least one month prior to the meeting, unless there is an emergency. Decisions can be reached during Special Meetings only on items listed on the agenda, except in the case of urgent or unpredictable business. 2 The agenda for the General Assembly shall be published in the official Journal before the Congress. Further suggestions to the agenda have to be made to the Council prior to its first Regular Meeting. Section 2. Minutes Minutes of the Committee Meetings and the Council Meetings shall be distributed not later than three months after the meeting. Minutes of the Meeting of the General Assembly shall be ratified by the Executive Committee and published in the official Journal.

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Article XI. Circulation of Information Major affairs and decisions of the Society and its committees shall be published in the official Journal of the ISN. The text should be prepared by the President and the Secretary General in cooperation with the Editor. Article XII. Amendments Section 1. Amendments to the by-laws may be proposed in writing by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The amendment must be circulated one month in advance of any official meeting of the Council. The amendment must be acted upon at the next official meeting of the Council. The notice of such official meeting shall contain an announcement, text, and explanations of the proposed amendment or amendments. Proposed amendments shall require for their adoption an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Council present. The Council action shall be ratified by the General Assembly, as proposed in Article VI. Section 2. Upon dissolution of ISN, the Council shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of ISN, dispose of all of the assets of ISN exclusively for the purposes for which ISN was organized and operated, in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes, as the Council shall determine. The decision of the Council as to the disposition of the assets of ISN shall be ratified by the General Assembly or by the Fellows. Article XIII. Indemnification The ISN shall indemnify each member of the Executive Committee, Council, or any Committee of the ISN against any liabilities or expenses, including attorney’s fees, reasonably incurred by such a member in connection with any actual or threatened legal action to which he or she might become a party by reason of being such a member, except to the extent that the said member shall be adjudged in such action to be liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duties.

Membership Any member of a national society of nephrology is eligible for proposal to membership in the International Society of Nephrology and receipt of the Society’s official Journal, Kidney International. A subscription to Kidney International (including all Supplements) for calendar year 1998 is included in the annual 1998 dues of US $120.00. Potential members can secure application forms for membership by writing directly to Dr. William E. Mitch, Treasurer, International Society of Nephrology, Emory University, Renal Division, WMB Room 338,

1639 Pierce Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. (Checks must be made payable to the International Society of Nephrology. Checks from outside the USA can be paid through any United States bank.) ISN World Wide Web Page The ISN Computerized Information Committee cochaired by Drs. Kim Solez (Edmonton) and Zal Agus (Philadelphia) is maintaining and updating the ISN Home Page on the World Wide Web. This Home Page describes ISN programs, lists officers, councilors and members of the Commission for Developing Countries, and supplies general information regarding ISN membership and subscription to Kidney International. The uniform resource locators (URLs) for the Web Page are: Canada: www.med.ualberta.ca/isn United Kingdom: his.path.cam.ac.uk/mirrors/isn/000i0000.htm Guidelines for sponsorship of symposia, postgraduate courses, or workshops by the International Society of Nephrology The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) encourages the organizers of scientific symposia, postgraduate courses, or workshops to apply to the Society for sponsorship. ISN sponsorship will provide: (1) use of the Society’s name as a sponsor or co-sponsor; (2) announcement of the meeting in Kidney International, contingent upon the receipt of written information in the Editorial office at least 6 months in advance of the meeting; (3) the possibility of partial financial support. Applications must include the following information: (1) the topic, purpose, location and date(s) of the meeting; (2) the names and titles of the members of the scientific organizing committee; (3) a list of all co-sponsoring institutions, if any, and sources of financial support; (4) the total revenue and expense budget for the proposed meeting, by major category; (5) the names and institutions of origin of all invited speakers, and their topics; (6) a statement as to whether manuscripts will be solicited from invited speakers, or free communications sought from others; (7) an expression of willingness to include the following acknowledgment on all publications: “. . . was held under the auspices of the International Society of Nephrology.” These guidelines do not apply to satellite symposia to be held in close proximity to a biennial Congress. Furthermore, the ISN will not sponsor or co-sponsor any regularly scheduled or routine international, national, or regional meeting, nor will it co-sponsor postgraduate courses with other international societies or groups. Applications for sponsorship must be submitted directly to Kiyoshi Kurokawa, M.D., Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara-shi, Kanagawa 259-11, Japan. Tel: (81) 463 93 1121 Ext 2111/Fax: (81) 463 93 1130/Email: [email protected]

International Society of Nephrology

ISN Archives Dr. Leon Fine has accepted the responsibility of maintaining the Archives of the International Society of Nephrology. The Archives consist of photographs, announcements, activities, and names of Council Members and Officers of the Society. Relevant information, documents, or photographs that are pertinent to the development and evolution of the ISN are assembled in the Archives. Members of the ISN or other readers of Kidney International having such material are requested to forward it to Dr. Fine at the following address: Leon G. Fine, F.R.C.P., F.A.C.P., F.R.C.P. (Glasg), Professor of Medicine and Head of the Department, Chairman, Division of Medicine, University College London Medical School, The Rayne Institute, 5 University Street, London WC1B 6JJ, United Kingdom. MEETINGS The Sixth Symposium on Growth and Development in Children with Chronic Renal Failure—the Molecular Basis of Skeletal Growth, an International Pediatric Nephrology Association symposium, will be held March 11–13, 1999 at New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. The symposium is sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation of New York/ New Jersey. Topics to be covered in more than 40 lectures include: growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor axis; IGFBP excess; developmental biology of the growth plate; calcitripic hormones; cellular biology of bone turnover; recent advances in renal osteodystrophy; transplantation bone disease; effects of rhGH of growth/puberty in CRF; and strategies to improve growth posttransplant. For information, contact: Kathleen Brown, National Kidney Foundation of New York/New Jersey, Inc., 1250 Broadway, Suite 2001, New York, New York, USA, 10001–3795. Telephone: (212) 629-9770; FAX: (212) 629-5652. The Fourth International Conference on Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies (CRRT) will be held March 11–13, 1999 in San Diego, California, USA (Hotel del Coronado). The conference is structured to promote multi-disciplinary interaction among specialists in nephrology, critical care, nursing, support personnel and industrial entities involved in the care of the critically ill patient. Major topics to be addressed include: evolving concepts in the pathophysiology and management of the critically ill patient; practice of CRRT and standardization of care; renal replacement and renal support; and experience and controversies with CRRT. A combination of invited lectures, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and oral and poster presentations is planned. CME credits will be awarded to attendees. For further information, contact: Shirley Kolkey, Complete Conference Management, 1660 Hotel Circle North, #220, San Diego,

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California, USA 92108. Telephone: (619) 299-6673; FAX: (619) 299-6675; E-mail: [email protected] The Fifth Workshop on Primary Hyperoxaluria will be held March 12–13, 1999 in Kappel, Switzerland (near Zurich). The workshop will be held under the auspices of the International Society of Nephrology. Topics to be addressed include: molecular developments, screening methods, diagnostic problems, therapeutic options, prospects of gene therapy, and genetic counseling. Participation will be limited to 100. For further information, contact: Ernst Leumann, M.D., University Children’s Hospital, Steinwiesstr. 75, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland. Phone: 11411-266 73 90; FAX: 1411 266 71 71; E-mail: [email protected] The Philippine Society of Nephrology 1999 Annual Convention will be held April 15–17, 1999 at Shangrila’s EDSA Plaza Hotel, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. For information, contact: Philippine Society of Nephrology, 3rd Floor, Main Building, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines. Tel./Fax: (63-2) 924-2264. The Seventh European Meeting on Cardionephrology, sponsored by the Italian Society of Nephrology and Cardiology, will be held April 15–17, 1999 in Assisi, Italy. Topics will include: hypertension and cardiorenal disease in women; ischemic heart disease in dialysis patients; cardiac change in glomerulonephritis and in polycystic kidney disease; proteinuria and the risk of cardiovascular disorders; cardiac derangement in diabetic nephropathy; cardiac and renal change in the edema syndrome; heart disease, hypertension and ischemic nephropathy; dialysis for congestive heart failure; and cardiovascular complications of renal transplantation. Organizing committee: M. Timio, V. Wizemann, F. Bjork, F. Locatelli, H. Eliahou. For further information, contact Prof. Mario Timio, M.D., Meeting President, Department of Nephrology & Dialysis, Ospedale di Foligno, Via dell’Ospedale, 06034 Foligno, Italy. Telephone: 039-742-339760; FAX: 039742-339310. The Eighth Annual Clinical Nephrology Meetings, sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will be held April 29–May 2, 1999 in Washington, D.C. The NKF Meetings offer simultaneous programs for nephrologists, family practitioners, social workers, nurses and technicians, renal dietitians, and non-renal dietitians. For further information, contact: Donna Fingerhut, National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd Street, New York, New York 10016. Telephone: (800) 622-9010, FAX: (212) 689-9261; Internet: http://www.kidney.org XVth International Congress of Nephrology Buenos Aires, Argentina The XVth International Congress of Nephrology and the XIth Latin American Congress of Nephrology will be held on May 2–6, 1999 in Buenos Aires, Argentina,

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sponsored by the International Society of Nephrology, the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension, and the Argentinean Society of Nephrology. The scientific program will have five main themes: hormones and the kidney; non-immune injury of the kidney and repair; dialysis; diabetes and the kidney; and renal transplantation. Symposia will be held on a variety of topics: hemolytic uremic syndrome; renal development; mechanisms of glomerular diseases, channel transporters, polycystic kidney disease, infectious disease and the kidney; nephrology in the intensive care unit; renal vascular diseases; aging and the kidney; renal stone diseases; neonatal nephrology; emerging approaches to the treatment of renal diseases; and others. During the meeting a number of basic science sessions will be offered for research scientists, fellows, and interested clinical nephrologists. Continuing medical education (CME) courses will also be offered, in Spanish and English, on several topics, including: molecular biology for the clinician; metabolic bone disease; urinary tract infections; water, acid-base and electrolyte disorders; management of hypertension in renal patients; vascular access complications; chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; and treatment, quality and outcome in dialysis. After the main congress, satellite symposia will be held in Buenos Aires and other locations, giving attendees the opportunity to enjoy Argentina and the neighboring countries of Latin America. For further information, contact the Secretariat of the XVth International Congress of Nephrology and the XIth Latin-American Congress of Nephrology, Organizacio´n Bayfem, Ayacucho 937, 18 G, (1111) Buenos Aires, Argentina. Telephone/FAX: 5411 4812-1021; FAX: 5411 4815-6688. ISN page: http://www.med.ualberta.ca/ isn; SLANH page: http://www.cordoba.com.ar/slanh; SAN page: http://www.san.org.ar Advances in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Renal Osteodystrophy, an International Society of Nephrology Satellite meeting, will be held May 7–9, 1999 (following the XVth International Conference of the ISN) in Iguazu Falls, Brazil. Participants will fly from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls (Argentinean side) on May 7th and travel by bus to the Brazilian side, where the meeting will be held. American citizens will require a visa to enter Brazil; participants from other countries should check with their Brazilian consulate. The organizing committee members are Dr. Eduardo Slatopolsky, USA and Dr. Jorge Cannata, Spain. For further information, contract: Bayfem Organization. FAX: 54 1 812-1021; E-mail: [email protected] End Stage Renal Disease throughout the World; Morbidity and Mortality in ESRD, an International Society of Nephrology Satellite Symposium will be held May 8–9, 1999 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Topics to be addressed include: principles of outcomes research; data collection methods; ESRD patient registries; specific risk factors in ESRD patients; statistical approaches to ESRD; mor-

tality comparisons by treatment options; morbidity as outcome and as predictor of mortality; quality of life as an outcome in ESRD; and how to obtain better outcomes. Roundtable discussions, oral presentations, and poster presentations are planned. The symposium will be jointly sponsored by the International Society of Nephrology, the Latin-American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension, the Uruguayan Society of Nephrology, and the Uruguayan Society of Transplants. For further information, contact: Personas SRL (Secretariat of the Satellite Symposium), Suipacha 1861, Montevideo, Uruguay 11800. Telephone: (5982) 4081015; FAX: (5982) 4082951; E-mail: [email protected] Cell Homeostasis: Channels and Transporters, an International Society of Nephrology Satellite Symposium, will be held May 8–10, 1999 in Guaruja´, Brazil. Topics to be discussed include: molecular biology of transporters; ion channels in renal cells; microscopy techniques in physiology; regulation of cell volume; regulation of cell pH; and water channels in renal cells. Participants from nations outside of Brazil are advised to check with their Brazilian consulates regarding visa requirements. For further information, contact: Eventus (Brazil). FAX: (55-11) 3361-3089; E-mail: [email protected] Symposium on Renal Transplantation at the End of the Century, an International Society of Nephrology Satellite Symposium, will be held May 8–10, 1999 in Co´rdoba, Argentina. Topics to be addressed include: live donor transplantation: related vs. unrelated donors, ethics and results; infectious diseases in transplant patients; optimal immunosuppression for induction and maintenance: how effective are the “new” drugs?; HLA matching: impact of molecular techniques; progression of chronic graft failure: influence of immunological and non-immunological factors and strategies for intervention; tumors in transplant recipients; molecular biology in renal disease and transplantation; and HLA typing and crossmatching: molecular and serological techniques. For further information, please contact Graciela de Boccardo or Oscar Ernesto Alvarez. Telephone: 54 51 688285; FAX: 54 51 688271; Telephone/FAX: 54 549 23004; E-mail (two addresses): [email protected] or [email protected]. com.ar Symposium on Acute Renal Failure, an International Society of Nephrology Satellite Symposium, will be held May 7–8, 1999, in Santiago, Chile. This in-depth review on acute renal failure (ARF) will include the most important topics in basic and clinical renal medicine, including: pathophysiology, epidemiology and prevention, major advances in cellular and molecular biology, gene therapy, nephrotoxicity, ARF in transplantation, ARF in intensive care units, and tropical ARF. For further information, please contact the Chilean Society of Nephrology, Bernarda Morı´n 488, Santiago, Chile. Tel: 56 2 341 3439;

International Society of Nephrology

Fax: 56 2 341 9457; Email: [email protected]; World Wide Web: http://www.ctcinternet/nefrologia The 1999 Necker Seminars in Nephrology will be held May 17–19, 1999, in Paris, France. For further information, contact: Doreen Broneer, De´partement de Ne´phrologie, Hoˆpital Necker, 161 Rue de Se`vres, 75743 Paris Cedex 15, France. Telephone: 33 (0)1 44 49 54 13; FAX: 33 (0)1 44 49 54 50; E-mail: [email protected] The 8th European Symposium on Urolithiasis will be held June 9–12, 1999 in Parma, Italy. Topics to be covered include: genetic aspects, dietary factors, economic impact, medical treatment, role of tubular cells, macromolecular inhibitors, stone related diseases, endourology, ESWL, and residual fragments. For further information contact Professor Loris Borghi, Institute of Semeiotica Medica, University of Parma, Via Gramsci, 14-43100 Parma, Italy. Telephone: (39) 521 991007; FAX: (39) 521 940993. Nephrology ’99, International Conference on Renal Bone Disease, will be held July 5–6, 1999 at Whitworth Art Gallery (Manchester Royal Infirmary), Manchester, UK. The meeting will include invited lectures only, by speakers from the USA, Japan, and Europe. The program is designed for clinicians with an interest in renal osteodystrophy and divalent ion metabolism. Topics will include: parathyroid hormone; vitamin D and phosphate metabolism; and cellular mechanisms and histological aspects of renal bone disease. For further information, contact: Mrs. D. Comer, Nephrology ’99, Department of Renal Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. FAX: 44 0161 276 8022; E-mail: [email protected] Forefronts in Nephrology: News in Aldosterone Action News in Aldosterone Action, a Forefronts in Nephrology meeting sponsored by the International Society of Nephrology, will be held August 15–18, 1999 in the Chaˆteau de Montvillargenne, Paris-Chantilly, France. Topics will include: mineralocorticoid receptors, transcriptional regulation, mineralocorticoid selectivity, transgenic models, physiological effects in target epithelia, non-epithelial targets, non-genomic actions, genetics, pathophysiology and pharmacology. The organizers and scientific committee are: Nicolette Farman (INSERM, Paris, France), Franc¸ois Verrey (University of Zu¨rich, Zu¨rich, Switzerland), Haim Garty (Weizman Institute, Israel), John Funder (Baker Medical Research Institute, Australia), and Bernard Rossier (University of Lausanne, Switzerland). An international group of experts will present their research, and additional oral and poster presentations will be chosen from submitted abstracts on the basis of scientific merit and innovation. The maximum number of participants is 150; travel grants are available to young investigators. For further information, contact Dr. Nico-

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lette Farman, Aldo99 Meeting office. Telephone: 33 1 4485 6320; FAX: 33 1 4429 1644; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.unizh.ch/physiol/aldo99 The Southeastern Dialysis and Transplantation Association Conference (SEDTA XXXIV) will be held on August 19–22, 1999 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Topics will include: History of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis; Dialysis: perspectives from an insider; Pre-dialysis era: Chronic renal failure—inevitable death—the Mozart case study; PreESRD, a state of disrepair; Current pre-ESRD practice patterns; Role of the nephrologist in Pre-ESRD care: in a word, proactive?; Healthy start sessions in education, nutrition and economics; Management of the cardiovascular system; Management of metabolic bone disease; Slowing progression of renal fialure in the diabetic and non-diabetic patient; Nutritional management; Acidbase management; The timely initiation of dialysis and role of home dialysis/the role of incremental initiation of dialysis; When to consider transplantation; The failing transplant: preparing the patient to return to dialysis; Access placement, timing and monitoring; Future trends: Nephrology specialization, xenotransplantation. For further information, contact: Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, Continuing Medical Education Department, 1516 Jefferson Highway, New Orleans, Louisiana 70121. Telephone: (800) 778-9353 or (504) 842-3702; FAX: (504) 842-4805; E-mail: [email protected]. You may register online at: www.ochsner.org./gmeweb/cme The 1999 Congress of the European Renal AssociationEuropean Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERAEDTA) will be held September 5–8, 1999 in Madrid, Spain. The program will include updates on issues in basic science, clinical nephrology, dialysis, transplantation, gene manipulation, noninflammatory renal injury and repair, novel approaches to immunosuppression, daily hemodialysis and suboptimal donors. The ERA-EDTA is awarding 60 grants to young nephrologists to participate. The Congress has been approved by the American Medical Association for a maximum of 26 hours of category 1 credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. For further information, contact: ERA-EDTA Congress Office, P.O. Box 474 Parma Sud, I-43100 Parma, Italy. Telephone: 139-(0)521-98 90 78; FAX: 139-(0)521291777; E-mail: [email protected] The 17th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Blood Purification will be held October 7–9, 1999 in Prague, Czech Republic. Planned topics to be covered include: continuous renal therapies for acute renal failure, management of hypertension in end-stage renal disease; and current status and perspectives on plasma exchange. There will also be free communications and poster presentations. For further information, contact: Vladimı´r Tesarˇ, M.D., Ph.D., Division of Nephrology, 1st Department of Medicine, Charles University, U nemocnice 2, 128

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08 Prague 2, Czech Republic. Telephone: (4202) 24962690; FAX: (4202) 297932; E-mail: [email protected]; Internet: http://www.ISBP.org A Seminar on Cigarette-Smoking and Kidney Involvement will be held October 9, 1999 in Milan, Italy. Scientific topics to be addressed include: the cultural history of smoking; smoking and public health; effects of smoking on systemic hemodynamics; effects of smoking on kidney function; effects of smoking on platelets, thromboxane metabolism and the endothelium; smoking-dependent risk of artery disease associated with polymorphisms of the endothelial NO-synthase gene; effects of smoking on immune response and relationship with renal disease; cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and kidney function; smoking and the risk of albuminuria in patients with primary hypertension; adverse effect of smoking on diabetic nephropathy; cigarette smoking and anti-GFM glomerulonephritis; cigarette smoking as a risk factor for ESRD in men with primary renal disease; cigarette smoking as a risk factor for pauci-immune extracapillary glomerulonephritis; cigarette smoking and ESRD; and cigarette smoking and kidney cancer. There will be a free communication session and a poster session. Abstract deadline: September 3, 1999. For further information, contact: Organizing Secretariat, OMNIA Meeting & Congressi S.r.l., Via Torino, 29–00184 Rome, Italy. Telephone: 0039-06-4871366; FAX: 0039-06-4815339; E-mail: [email protected] The Fifth International Conference on Geriatric Nephrology and Urology will be held on October 21–23, 1999 in Salamanca, Spain. Topics will include geriatric perspectives on: glomerular diseases and vasculitis; osteopathies; diabetic nephropathy and hypertension; urinary incontinence; renal handling of electrolytes; hemodialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; acute renal failure; and benign prostate hyperplasia. Free communications on geriatric nephrology and urology will also be admitted. For further information, contact: Prof. Jose´ M. Lo´pez-Novoa, Fifth International Conference on Geriatric Nephrology and Urology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Salamanca, Campus Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain. Telephone: 34 923 294472; FAX: 34 923 294669. E-mail: [email protected] Urolithiasis; the IXth International Symposium on Urolithiasis Research will be held February 13–17, 2000 in Cape Town, South Africa. The program will include sessions on lithotripsy, endourology, metabolic evaluation, medical therapies, epidemiology, economics of stone disease, role of diet and other nutritional factors, biochemical risk factors, physical chemistry, crystallization modulators, crystal-cell interaction, transport physiology, and urolithiasis in animals. Pre- and post-conference tours including a game reserve safari are planned. For further information, contact: Professor Allen Rodgers, Symposium Chairman, Chemistry Department, University of Cape Town, Cape

Town, South Africa 7701. Telephone: 27 21 6502572; FAX: 27 21 6867647; E-mail: [email protected] The Seventh International Course on Peritoneal Dialysis will be held May 23–26, 2000, in Vicenza, Italy. For further information, contact: Dr. M. Feriani, General Secretariat of the Seventh International Course on Peritoneal Dialysis, Dept. of Nephrology, St. Bortolo Hospital, 36100 Vicenza, Italy. E-mail: [email protected] The XXXIVth International Congress of Physiological Sciences, entitled “From Molecule to Malady” (a Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences) will be held August 26–September 1, 2001 in Christchurch, New Zealand. The congress will emphasize pathophysiology, particularly modern molecular approaches to integrative biology. For further information contact The Conference Company, P.O. Box 90-040, Auckland, New Zealand; Internet: http://www.iups2001. org.nz CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION The 26th Annual Renal Disease and Electrolyte Disorders Course will be held July 26–30, 1999 at the Given Institute of the University of Colorado, Aspen, Colorado, USA. The course directors will be Robert W. Schrier, M.D. and Isaac Teitelbaum, M.D., Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado School of Medicine. For more information, Telephone: (800) 882-9153 or 303-372-9050; FAX: 303-372-9065. The Sixth Budapest Nephrology School will be held September 23–28, 1999 at the Semmelweis University of Medical Sciences, under the auspices of the International Society of Nephrology. Internationally known speakers will address current topics in nephrology, dialysis and transplantation, emphasizing pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment modalities. Associated workshops are planned. For further information, contact: Laszlo Rosivall, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Pathophysiology, International Research and Training Center, Semmelweis Medical University, Nagyvarad ter 4, Budapest, Hungary. Telephone/FAX: 36-1-2100-100; E-mail: roslasz @net.sote.hu Board Certification Examinations The 1999 Certification Exam in Nephrology, sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine, will be held November 3, 1999. The late registration period is April 2, 1999–July 1, 1999. For further information contact the Registration Section, American Board of Internal Medicine, 510 Walnut Street, Suite 1700, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3699 USA. Telephone: (800) 441-2246 or (215) 446-3500; FAX: (215) 446-3590; E-mail: request @abim.org; web site: http://www.abim.org The 1999 Recertification Exams in Internal Medicine, its Subspecialties, and Added Qualifications, sponsored

International Society of Nephrology

by the American Board of Internal Medicine, will be held November 3, 1999. The Board’s new comprehensive Recertification Program consists of an at-home openbook Self-Evaluation Process (SEP) and a proctored Final Examination administered annually in November. In order to be eligible to apply for the November Final Examination, Diplomates must return all their required at-home materials to the Board by August 1, 1999 and must submit their Recertification Final Examination application by September 1, 1999. The registration period is ongoing and continuous. For further information contact the Registration Section, American Board of Internal Medicine, 510 Walnut Street, Suite 1700, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3699 USA. Telephone: (800) 441-2246 or (215) 446-3500; FAX: (215) 446-3590; E-mail: request@abim. org; web site: http://www.abim.org National Societies The Secretary General of the International Society of Nephrology is endeavoring to bring the Society’s list of national societies up-to-date. Many such national societies are not affiliated with the ISN or their affiliation has lapsed. To retain their affiliated status and to vote at the General Assembly, a list of individual members is required to be sent annually. Secretaries of national societies therefore are asked to provide the Secretary General with the address to which correspondence should be sent, together with a list of their officers and individual members, and a formal application for affiliation where this has lapsed. Please send these to Jan J. Weening, M.D., Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

AWARDS AND GRANTS

ACADEMIC NOTES Professorship to Honor Clark D. West, M.D. Friends, colleagues, and former patients of Clark D. West, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Pediatric Nephrology at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, are joining to endow a Chair in his honor. Dr. West, past-president of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology and the Society for Pediatric Research, made seminal contributions to the management of childhood renal diseases ranging from glomerulonephritis and nephrotic syndrome to rickets and renal transplantation. He is one of the founders of the specialty of pediatric nephrology and has helped to train hundreds of physicians from all over the world. For further information about the Clark D. West Chair in Pediatric Nephrology, contact: Lynne Wu, Children’s Hospital Foundation,

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3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039 USA; Telephone: (513) 636-4296. The Heinrich-Wirz Award of the Swiss Society of Nephrology Applications for the Second Heinrich-Wirz Award will be considered by the Swiss Society of Nephrology. The award carries with it a research grant in the amount of 20,000 Swiss francs. Swiss researchers under the age of 45 who are working in Switzerland or elsewhere are eligible to apply for the Award, as well as non-Swiss researchers under the age of 45 whose recent research has been largely designed and performed in Switzerland. Candidates should submit no more than three manuscripts (4 copies) that have been published in 1997 or 1998, or have been accepted for publication. Candidates should also submit an updated curriculum vitae and a cover letter stating the degree of responsibility they assumed in the studies detailed in the publications. The award will be presented at the annual meeting of the Swiss Society of Nephrology, at which the award recipient will be expected to give a 30-minute presentation on his/ her research. The Heinrich-Wirz Award is sponsored by Baxter (Swiss), Inc., Switzerland. Applications are due April 30, 1999, in the office of Professor Prof. Dr. Reto Krapf, who can also supply further information. Address: Chefarzt Medizinische Universita¨tsklinik Bruderholzspital, 4101 Bruderholz, Switzerland. Telephone: 061 421 21 21; FAX: 061 422 14 33; E-mail: [email protected] The 1999 Massry Prize in Nephrology, Physiology and Related Fields The 1999 Massry prize will be awarded by the Meira and Shaul G. Massry Foundation to an eminent scientist who has made extraordinary and meritorious contributions in one of two fields: (1) Protein Trafficking, (2) Cell to Cell Communication. Nominations 1. Nominations may come from any country and must be made in writing. Seven copies of the nomination package should be mailed before Friday, May 21, 1999 to the Meira and Shaul G. Massry Foundation, 1140 Benedict Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 USA. 2. Only one nomination may be made by: (a) Deans of Medical Schools, (b) Members of the National Academy of Sciences, (c) Nobel Prize Laureates in physiology and medicine, and (d) Eminent scientists who may be selected by the Board of Directors of the Foundation. Self nomination is not acceptable. 3. The nomination package should include the following: (a) curriculum vitae of the nominee, (b) five of her or his most important publications, (c) names of four referees, with their telephone and fax num-

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bers, and (d) a letter providing in detail the scientific contributions of the nominee, the impact of her or his work on the scientific community and the relevance of her or his work to the advancement of health. 4. The nominations will be reviewed by a special independent selection committee, which will choose the recipient of the award. 5. The prize consists of the Massry Gold Medal and a substantial monetary award. 6. The winner of the Massry Prize must appear in person to receive the prize in Los Angeles. The 1999 Bernd Tersteegen Award Applications for the 1999 Bernd Tersteegen Award are now being considered. The Bernd Tersteegen Award, sponsored by the Deutsche Dialysegesellschaft nieder¨ rzte e. V. (the German Society of Nephrologelassener A gists in Private Practices), is intended to expedite internationally theoretical and practical research regarding the insufficiency of kidney function, especially as it relates to outpatient therapy. Candidates should submit a manuscript (5 copies), in German or English, that have been published in 1998 or 1999, or have not yet been published. Candidates should also submit a brief curriculum vitae and list of publications to date. The award will be presented at the annual meeting of the German Society of Nephrologist in Private Practices, November 13, 1999 in Mannheim, Germany. The recipient of the award is required to be present. The award is sponsored by Hoffman LaRoche AG. Applications are due by July 15, 1999 and should be submitted to: Deutsche Dialysege¨ rzte e. V., Dr. Med. Heinsellschaft niedergelassener A rich Ku¨temeyer, President, Postfach 132304, D-42050 Wuppertal, Germany. For further information, contact: ¨ rzte Deutsche Dialysegesellschaft niedergelassener A e. V., Postfach 132304, D-42050 Wuppertal, Germany. Telephone: 0202/248450; FAX: 2484560. The 1998 Bernd Tersteegen Prize was awarded to Dr. med. Wilhelm Kriz, Heidelberg, for the work “From segmental glomerulosclerosis to total neprhon degeneration and interstitial fibrosis: a histopathological study in experimental and human glomerulopathies. International Fellowship Training Awards The International Society of Nephrology announces the establishment of an International Fellowship Training Program to provide training in clinical nephrology to physicians from developing countries. It is the objective of this program to support the growth of nephrology in developing countries through an educational program that admits qualified applicants to clinical training in recognized nephrology programs around the world, and then asks them to return to their home country to practice and/or teach. In unique circumstances, applicants

who want basic research training may be considered if the environment in the home country will permit continued research upon the completion of training. The guidelines for application are as follows: (1) Fellowship awards will be made only to physicians from developing countries. (2) Applicants must provide evidence of acceptance into a recognized and suitable training program before the award can be granted. (3) The Fellow must return to his or her home country upon completion of approved training. (4) The Fellow must provide evidence of a guaranteed position in a medical institution upon return to the home country. (5) Fellows will receive a stipend from the Society such that, taking into account the home country and/or the host institution support that they may have, they achieved a $22,500 US revenue. (6) Fellows must be able to read and speak the language of the host country. An interview may be required to assess verbal fluency. (7) Fellowships will be offered primarily for clinical training of one to two years duration. (8) Clinical training programs should be practical in their orientation, and applicable to the needs and conditions of the home country. The ability of the host institution to provide such training will be an important factor in the selection process. (9) Fellows must have received sufficient training in internal medicine or other fields to pass all host country examinations that are necessary to the care of patients. Fellowships may be awarded to senior individuals who seek additional training but, in general, preference will be given to younger physicians who are at the beginning of their permanent careers. (10) Specific instructions and the necessary application forms can be obtained by writing directly to Jan J. Weening, M.D., Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Scholarships in the History of Nephrology The International Society of Nephrology Commission on the History of Nephrology is soliciting applications for four scholarships ($500 US) to support short studies on the history of Nephrology by students, junior physicians or junior scientists. Applications, including a Curriculum Vitae, a one-page description of the project, and the name of a supervisor, should be sent to: Professor L.G. Fine, Chairman, ISN Commission on the History of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University College London Medical School, 5 University Street, London, WC1E 6JJ, UK. Telephone: 0171 209 6186; Fax: 0171 209 6211; E-mail: [email protected]

International Society of Nephrology

FOR SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS New manuscripts and related editorial correspondence for Kidney International should be sent to: Saulo Klahr, M.D. Editor, Kidney International Barnes-Jewish Hospital, North Campus Department of Medicine 216 South Kingshighway St Louis, Missouri 63110 USA Telephone numbers for the Editorial Office are: (314) 454-8919 (314) 454-8916 (314) 454-7107 The FAX number is (314) 545-8907. E-mail correspondence may be sent to: [email protected]

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ERRATUM Chapman AB, Abraham WT, Zamudio S, Coffin C, Merouani A, Young D, Johnson A, Osorio F, Goldberg C, Moore LG, Dahms T, Schrier RW: Temporal relationships between hormonal and hemodynamic changes in early human pregnancy. Kidney International 54:2056– 2063, 1998 In the article listed above, the top two parts of Figure 3, showing inulin and PAH clearances, were incorrectly labeled as corrected for body surface area. These clearances were not corrected for body surface area; therefore, “1.73 m2 ” should be deleted from the y-axis in both instances. The authors regret the error